Grease cup



Jan. 6, 192.5. 1,522,062

T. E. JEFFRIES V v GREASE CUP Filed Feb. 10, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 wan,

4 @qll! 51 Jan. 6; 1925. 1,522,062

T. E. JEFFRIES I Y GREASE CUP Filed Feb. 10, 19 3 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

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UNETE iATES THOMAS E. JEFFRIES, OF HAMILTON, QHIO.

GREASE CUP.

Application filed February 1,0, 1923. Serial No. 618,800.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. Jnrrnrns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hamilton, in the county of Butler and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grease Cups, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in grease cups and more particularly to a device of this character which is automatic in its operation.

An important object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which may be easily filledand with which the filling operation can be accomplished without the necessity of separating the various parts of the device.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character having means whereby a portion of the cup is made yielding to permit the entrance of grease,

this portion closing automatically when the introduction of grease is discontinued and preventing entrance of dirt to the casing.

A further object of the invention is to provide a grease cup having storage compartments into which grease may be introduced and including means whereby the introduction of grease to the storage compartments starts up energy to force the grease from the compartments to the part to be lubricated. A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character in which grease may be introducedwithout the necessity of separating the parts for such introduction and in which the'introduction may be acco mplished by a grease gun. 7

These and other objects I attain by the construction and arrangement shown in the accompanying drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation showing a grease cup constructed in accordance with my invention and having applied thereto a grease gun whereby to fill the same;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view therethrough Figure 3 is atransverse sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a section on the line 44 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional View through a slightly modified form of grease cup; and

Figure'6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates the attaching section of the grease cup or that portion thereof adapted to be engaged with the part through which the lubricant is to be introduced. The attaching sect-ion has itslower end threaded, as at 11, for engagement in a suitable threaded opening formed in the member to be lubricated and has formed in its outer end a bore 12, the walls of which are screw-threaded for engagement with the outer section 13 of the grease cup hereinafter to be more fully described. The lower end of the bore 12 is reduced, as at 14, thereby forming an outwardly directed shoulder 15, the purpose of which will presently appear. Through the threaded engaging portion 11" of the section 10 is formed a central bore 16 and about this central bore a plurality of circumferentially spaced circularly arranged openings 17, all of these openings entering the reduced portion 14 of the bore 12 at the inner end thereof.

Disposed within the bore '16 is a combined housing and guide member 18 including an outwardly entending guide sleeve 19 direct ed through the bore 12 and in which is slidably mounted a plunger valve 20. Between the inner end of the housing member 18 and the inner end of the valve a spring 21 is positioned normally urging this valve outwardly. The outer section 13 which is or ternally screw-threaded at its inner end, as indicated at 22, for coaction with the threads of'the bore 12 is provided with an axial bore 23 of greater diameter than the external diameter of the sleeve 19 and into which the sleeve 19 projects. Adjacent the outer end of the outer section 13 the bore 23 is re duced and has the walls of such reduced portion tapered, as indicated at 24, to form a valve seat coacting with the tapered end 25 of the plunger valve 20. The reduced bore 24 opens through the outer end of the section 13 and as will hereinafter appear forms a port for the introduction of grease to the cup.

Arranged about the bore 23 of the outer section 13 are a plurality of circumferential ly spaced circularly arranged bores 26 each opening through the inner end of the section 13 and each in communication with the atmosphere at its outer end by a port 27 formed in the wall of the section 18. The bores 26 are so arranged that a portion of each thereof is in alignment with the shoulder 15 of the inner section 10 and slidably mounted within these bores are plungers 28 urged toward the inner ends of the bores by-springs 29. The outer section 13 is preferably provided upon its periphery with pins 30 adapted for engagement in bayonet slots 31 of a grease gun 32 to maintain the same in position with the discharge month 33 thereof in alignment with the port formed by the bore 24.

It will be seen that with the grease gun in position, if pressure is applied to force the grease from the gun, this pressure acting upon the plunger valve 20 will cause the same to be withdrawn from its seat against the action of its spring 21, permitting the grease to enter the bore 23 of theouter cup section 13. As the grease continues to enter the cup from the pressure of the gun it passes through the bore 24 to the sleeve 19 and into the reduced bore it; From this point a portion of the grease will pass through the openings 1.7 to the part to be lubricated, the remainder of the grease be ing forced upwardly into 7 the bores 26 moving the plungers 28 before it and compressing the springs 29. hen the cup is fully charged and the gun withdrawn, the valve 20 will close under the action of its spring 21 retaining the grease within the cup, The springs 29 be ing placed under compression by the move I ment of their plungers 28 will act to urge these plungers toward the inner ends of the bores and to force the grease contained in the bores from these-bores. Accordingly, grease will be forced from the cup as rapidly-as it passes to the part to be lubricated through the openings 17. If desired, the cup may be formed without the apertures 17 hereinbefore described. In this event the housing member 18 will be provided with a sleeve like extension 18 upon its inner end, which extension engages in the bore 16 and has formed therein a bore 34. Through the walls of the extension 18 openings 85 will be formed communicating with the reduced portion 14 of the bore 12 of the inner or engaging section of the cup through which grease from the bores or compartments 26 may be passed into the bore 84. The extension 18 may likewise be provided with a flange 36 abutting the wall at the inner end of the bore 14: to limit the movement of the extension with relation to the section 10.

It will be obvious that with a grease cup constructed in accordance with my invention the energy represented by the pressure employed to fill the cup is started and em ployed to subsequently discharge the contents of the cup to the parts to be lubricated. It will furthermore be obvious that the construction thereof is capable of many changes and modifications without materially departing from the spirit of my invention and I accordingly do not limit, myself to such structure as hereinbefore set forth except as hereinafter claimed.

lVhat is claimed is In a grease cup, an innerattaching section having in one end thereof a bore having a threaded wall, the bore being reduced to form a shoulder, the reduced bore being in communication with a further reduced bore axial tothe attaching member and extending therethrough, and an outer section having a threadedinner end for engagement with the threaded wall of the main bore and having an axial bore aligning with the axial bore of the attaching member, a housing member having a sleeve like extension. adapted for engagement in the axial bore of the attaching member, and a flange seating upon the inner end of the reduced bore of the attaching section, said housing member forming a mounting for a valve for closing the outer end of the axial bore of the outer member, compartments formed in said outer member and paralleling the axial bore thereof, an opening through the inner end of the outer member, and spring pressed plunger-s mounted in said compartments, the shoulder between said main and reduced: bores of the attaching sect-ion forming a stop limiting the movement of said plungers,

In testimony whereof I hereunto ailix my sign ature.

THOMAS JEFFRIES. 

